For Jack Franklin, death was just the beginning. Swallowed up in the politics of the afterlife, the future of humanity might depend on him.
History professor Jack Franklin died happy, with a loving family and a prospering career. After his unexpected death, he is thrust into an afterlife managed by a sprawling bureaucracy, populated by some of history's biggest names. Above everything sits the nine-member Court, directing human destiny. The senior member of the Court is about to retire, and in the coming weeks a new member will be elevated to this ultimate honor. There are no shortage of eager candidates from the last five hundred years of human history, and the maneuvering is well under way when Jack learns he has a key role to play.